


lost in the desert

by Cathalinaheart



Category: Marvel 616
Genre: Angst, Hallucinations, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Not A Fix-It, Post-Civil War (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 07:44:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21370624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cathalinaheart/pseuds/Cathalinaheart
Summary: Tony is hallucinating Steve.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	lost in the desert

**Author's Note:**

  * For [narukyuu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/narukyuu/gifts).

> Happy Birthday, Naru!

Tony was lost in a desert of his own making. He had completely isolated himself. Everyone was told to leave him alone. Anyone who tried more than once got ever more viscous replies. 

He did not want to be around people. Especially not those that continually reminded him of what he had lost.

So in the end it was just him. Tony Stark, alone, just like he deserved. 

But a desert is a harsh place to survive and Tony was ultimately not made for it. 

He couldn’t trust his senses. He was starting to hallucinate the one person he desperately did not want to think about. 

But like a wanderer lost in the desert, close to dying of thirst, is craving water, Tony was craving Steve’s presence. Steve was his Fata Morgana. 

But instead of providing the smallest relief in the form of hope, this Steve was here to torture Tony. To remind him of what he had done. To make it abundantly clear it was Tony’s fault that Steve was dead. 

Tony knew it was wrong to, but he embraced the hurt this mirage was causing. It was a small price to pay to see Steve, his eyes still alight with life. 

But like a Fata Morgana just lead the wanderer astray until he could not continue, so the image of Steve Rogers was bleeding Tony dry. 

The fantasy started to be the only thing that counted. When Tony noticed Steve was more likely to show up when he was sleep deprived, hungry and thirsty, he stopped sleeping, eating, drinking. 

All just to see Steve one more time. 

In his more lucid moments he realized what he was doing would kill him, but he didn’t have the energy to care. 

All he wanted was Steve. 

Just one last time. 

Just one. 


End file.
